Packaging unit for glass rolled onto a winding core

ABSTRACT

A packaging unit for accommodating glass rolled onto a winding core is provided. The packaging unit includes at least two wall parts that can be separated from one another and together form a closed unit. A first retaining element is connected to a first wall part and a second retaining element is connected to a second wall part arranged opposite the first wall part. A damping element is connected to at least one retaining element and/or to at least one of the first and second wall parts.

The invention relates to a packaging unit for glass rolled onto a winding core, and to the use of such a packaging unit.

Thin glass is being used increasingly for a wide range of applications, for example in the fields of consumer electronics as cover glass for semiconductor modules, for organic LED light sources, or also for even thinner display devices or in the fields of renewable energies or power engineering, such as solar cells. Examples of this include touch panels, capacitors, thin-film batteries, flexible printed circuit boards, flexible OLEDs, flexible photovoltaic modules, or also e-papers. The focus has turned increasingly to thin glass for many applications due to its outstanding properties, such as resistance to chemicals, temperature change and heat, its gas-tightness, high electrical insulation capacity, adapted coefficient of expansion, flexibility, high optical quality and light permeability, or also high surface quality with very low roughness due to a fire-polished surface. In this case, thin glass is understood to mean glass panels, glass sheets, glass substrates or glass films having thicknesses less than approximately 1.2 mm down to thicknesses of 15 μm and less. Due to its flexibility, thin glass is increasingly rolled up after production, and is stored as a glass roll or is transported for assembly or further processing. Compared to storage and transport of material spread out flat, the rolling of glass has the advantage of more cost-effective, compact storage, transport and handling during further processing.

In order to further reduce transport and storage costs, it is advantageous to wind radii that are as tight as possible, whereby the tensile stresses in the glass strip and therefore the risk of breakage are increased however.

With all the outstanding properties, glass, as a brittle material, has a rather low breaking strength, since it is not very resistant to tensile stresses. For breakage-free storage and for breakage-free transport of such a glass roll, the quality and integrity of the edges is firstly of significance in order to avoid the formation of a crack or break in the rolled-up glass strip. Even damage such as miniscule cracks, for example microcracks, may lead to larger cracks or breakages of the glass strip. In the rolled-up state, the upper face of the glass strip is subject to tensile stress, which is why, furthermore, the integrity and freedom of the surface from scratches, scores or other surface defects is important in order to avoid the formation of a crack or break in the rolled-up glass strip. Thirdly, internal stresses in the glass caused by the production process should also be minimized or absent in order to avoid the formation of a crack or break in the rolled-up glass strip. Since, in the case of commercial manufacture, all three factors can only be optimized to a limited extent however, the susceptibility to breakage of such a rolled-up glass is increased further still to the limits, provided in any case, of its material property. Specific provisions and conditions are therefore important for the storage and transport of such a glass roll in order to avoid damage to the glass. In particular, such a glass roll must be protected against impacts and oscillation-like stresses. Mechanical loads acting from the outside in this way may otherwise cause the breaking limits of the glass to be exceeded and may therefore lead to crack formation in the glass.

If, for example, a glass roll is placed on a storage surface, such as a pallet, in a position in which the axis runs approximately horizontally, there is the problem that there is a concentration of stress in the contact region and breaks form easily in the glass strip.

The storage, transport and handling of glass materials spread out flat is necessary in the case of thicker glasses, which are not flexible enough to be rolled up, such as flat glasses and known glasses for flat screens. A packaging for such glass materials spread out flat is described for example in US 2007/0131574 or JP 048577/1990. Such a packaging is not compact however and is completely unsuitable for the packaging of a glass roll.

The packaging of a material rolled onto a reel is described by contrast in WO 2008/123124. Here, for protection against impacts, a plate-shaped flange part with an attached tubular part is described for both sides of the reel and engages in the cavity of a winding core. The two parts are each to be formed in an integrated manner from a polyolefin bead foam, which is to absorb the impact energy. Furthermore, a gap is provided as edge protection between the upper edge of the rolled-up material and each flange. Such a packaging is unsuitable however for a glass roll, since the glass roll on the one hand would be completely unprotected over the expanse of its surface between the flanges, and on the other hand oscillation and impact energy would enter the glass inadmissibly in spite of the provided gap and the material selection for the roll mounting. There is also no provision of a reliable possibility for storing and transporting a number of glass rolls.

In a development, JP 2009-173307 describes a packaging form for the storage and transport of a sensitive pressure measuring sheet rolled onto a winding core, in which case a flange is formed on both ends of the winding core onto which the pressure measuring sheet is wound and is larger than the outer diameter of the wound pressure measuring sheet. The pressure measuring sheet is hereby arranged at a distance from the set-down surface. A glass film, in contrast to a pressure measuring sheet, is a material which easily breaks. This means that, in the case of a pressure measuring sheet, it is sufficient to ensure that the microcapsules for pressure measurement formed on the surface do not burst, however it is necessary to ensure in the case of a rolled-up glass that no breaks occur not only on the surface of the roll, but also at the edges of the glass strip, which form the lateral regions of the roll. Since, in particular, it may be that the two lateral regions of the roll comprising the edges of the glass strip are exposed outwardly, they may easily become a starting point of breaks at the edges.

Here, WO 2010/038760 describes a development for a glass roll. For a glass roll rolled onto a winding core with lateral flanges, various arrangements for buffering with introduced buffer materials between the lateral regions of the glass roll and the flanges are described. Contact between the edges of the glass strip and the flanges, which could lead to breaks at the edges, are to be avoided hereby.

For this purpose, laterally protruding intermediate layers rolled in between the glass strip layers are proposed and fill only part of the gap and are not in contact with the flanges or, in another proposed embodiment, are in contact with the flanges. In this case, cracks or breaks in the glass strip may form however at the edges when the glass roll is wound up or unwound if the protruding regions of the intermediate layer hook into one another or get caught. Impacts or oscillations during transport may also lead to a lateral displacement of the glass strip layers on the roll, which likewise leads to breakages of the glass strip or to edge damage. A lateral displacement of the glass strip can occur in this case as a whole along the axial direction of the winding core or also as a result of the outer diameter side of the glass strip moving laterally on the roll with respect to the inner diameter side, the edges of the glass strip then being arranged above one another in a step-like manner (lateral “telescoping”).

In another embodiment, a separate buffer material is arranged between the glass roll and flange. Lateral displacement of the glass strip layers on the roll caused by impacts or oscillations during transport could indeed be reduced hereby, however this results in a relative movement between the glass strip edges and such a buffer material, in particular in the case of oscillations caused by transport. The edges may already be damaged even with very small relative movements or stresses caused thereby at the edges of the glass strip, or cracks may be induced in the glass strip.

In order to avoid this, it is proposed in another embodiment to arrange this buffer material only in contact with the flange, but not in contact with the lateral regions of the glass roll. However, impacts or oscillations during transport may again lead to a lateral displacement of the glass strip layers on the roll as a whole or to the described lateral telescoping as a result, which in turn may result in breaks of the glass strip or edge damage.

Furthermore, WO 2010/038760 describes the formation of axis parts which protrude laterally from the flanges and are supported by bearings which are formed in bases. A rolling of the glass roll independently of the flanges is to be prevented hereby. Such a design or a plurality of such structures may also be covered by a packaging crate. A disadvantage of this solution however is that impacts and oscillation-like stresses are transferred onto or into the glass roll in an undamped manner, which constitutes a high breakage and crack risk for the glass.

Alternatively to this packaging with transversely directed glass roll, a packaging with vertically directed glass roll is described. Here, a plurality of glass rolls are to be fitted with their winding cores on vertically arranged column-shaped elements which are fixed to the base of a crate body. A disadvantage here however on the one hand is a wobbling of the glass rolls during transport. Even though, in order to prevent breakages thus caused of the glass strip, a sufficient spacing of the glass rolls or also the filling of a buffer material between the glass rolls is proposed, the edges located at the supporting face of the glass roll are loaded in an unsuitable manner not only by the inherent pressure of the glass roll, but in particular also by the wobbling of the roll, which leads to cracks and breaks in the glass strip and to edge damage. On the other hand, impacts and oscillation-like stresses are also transferred here in an undamped manner to the glass roll or are introduced into the glass roll, which constitutes a high breakage and crack risk for the glass.

The object of the invention is therefore to avoid the above-described disadvantages and to provide a packaging unit for receiving glass rolled onto a winding core, which reduces the breakage and crack risk for the glass during storage or transport. A reliable packaging for a plurality of glass rolls is also to be found.

This object is achieved by the invention by means of the features of claim 1 and claims 12 and 13.

The glass roll is integrated into a closed packaging unit in order to protect it against direct external physical or chemical attacks or effects. Such a packaging unit consists at least of two wall parts that can be separated from one another, wherein the wall parts together form a closed unit. A distinction is made between the individual wall parts of the packaging unit as follows: the two head parts of the packaging unit, which are arranged opposite the lateral regions of the glass roll, and the wall parts, which comprise the widthwise orientation of the glass roll, such as the base part, the side parts and the top part of the packaging unit. The packaging unit may be rectangular or polygonal or cylindrical.

For example, all wall parts of the packaging unit can be joined together as individual parts during the packaging process, or they can also be joined together in a manner securely connected to one another arbitrarily as individual groups during the packaging process.

In a preferred embodiment, the side parts, the base part and the top part or the cylindrical wall part are connected to a head part, whereby, when packaging the glass roll, only the other head part is also connected to the other parts in order to form the packaging unit. Half the length of the side parts, the base part and the top part may also be connected to each head part however.

With a cylindrical embodiment, the base part, the side parts and the top part form a hollow cylinder, wherein this individually forms a wall part and is joined together with two head parts or is already connected entirely to one head part and is joined together with the second head part or can be connected in each case as a part to both head parts, wherein a closed packaging unit is always produced when the individual parts are joined together.

Any material which ensures sufficient stability, such as a wood, plywood, metal or plastic, is suitable as material for the wall parts. Depending on the transport or storage requirements, a sufficient gas-tightness or environmental friendliness is taken into account during the selection process.

In accordance with the invention, a retaining element is connected to each of the wall parts forming the head parts. The retaining elements are arranged opposite one another and, during use, carry the glass roll or the winding core between them, with the result that a glass roll can be stored in the packaging unit at a distance from the wall parts which form the base part, the side parts and the top part.

A retaining element can be connected directly to a wall part or anchored therein or thereon. An anchoring for the retaining element may also be associated with a wall part however. In this case, the anchoring can be securely connected to the wall part or only loosely connected thereto. For example, the anchoring can be positioned as a separate component in front of a head part and can be connected in a form-locked manner or force-locked manner thereto and/or to the adjacent wall parts. In each embodiment, the anchoring in the closed state of the packaging unit is securely connected thereto.

The anchoring can be formed from two plates which are distanced from one another and which are possibly also braced to one another in order to form an anchoring, capable of bearing a load, for a retaining element which may receive and support a glass roll even without the second retaining element. An anchoring can also be attached however, for example as a reinforcement plate, to the inner face of a head part and can carry the retaining element.

Such a retaining element for example may comprise a pin, a spindle, a peg, a locking mechanism or a closing mechanism, which in each case are suitable for engaging in a corresponding connection device at an end of a winding spindle, wherein both retaining elements can securely receive therebetween the winding core with the glass possibly wound thereon.

In a preferred embodiment, a retaining element is designed in this case such that it can engage in a cavity arranged in the winding core or in a corresponding indentation, which in each case is provided on the lateral ends of a winding core. The engaging part of the retaining element, which may be a supporting spindle or one or more pins or pegs, may have any suitable cross section.

A winding core can be round or polygonal. For example, a winding core may consist substantially of a tube, and therefore the retaining elements can engage in the lateral tube ends. The retaining elements here may have a conical region which is suitable for centering the winding core. The lateral ends of a winding core may also have one or more specifically shaped indentations, in which matching counterpieces on the retaining elements engage and, in so doing, preferably center the winding core. Such indentations may be conical or shaped in the manner of a cone frustum, or pyramidal or shaped in the manner of a pyramid frustum, for example, or can also be designed in any other suitable manner. A specific connection device may also be provided at one or both ends of a winding core and can be anchored by means of a respective counterpiece on the retaining element, with the result that the winding core can be securely connected at its lateral end to the retaining element. Such a device can be formed for example as a bayonet closure or may have a device for latching, hooking, locking or screwing.

In a preferred embodiment, a continuous supporting spindle is provided for a substantially tubular winding core and extends along a cavity running axially inside the winding core, the winding core resting substantially over its entire inner length on said supporting spindle and being supported thereby. In an embodiment, the supporting spindle is securely connected to a retaining element and is associated therewith and is connected or anchored to the second retaining element when the packaging unit is joined together. The supporting spindle may also be connected or anchored as a separate component to each retaining element when the packaging unit is joined together. The connection or anchoring can be implemented for example by insertion or screwing into a peg or also in any suitable manner.

The cross section of the supporting spindle can be round in the simplest case, wherein a single axially extending bearing face for the winding core is produced when the supporting spindle diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the winding core. Due to a suitable choice of cross section however, two and more axially extending bearing faces may also be provided, whereby the support of the winding core is improved. The deflection of a mounted or transported glass roll can thus be effectively reduced or avoided, even over a length of time and in the event of impacts and oscillations.

In another embodiment, a supporting spindle may also be secured or anchored on each retaining element or can be secured or anchored when the packaging unit is joined together. In order to carry and support a winding core or a glass roll with winding core, the two supporting spindles protrude during use from the lateral ends of the winding core into said winding core. This protrusion may be so far that the supporting spindles approximately contact one another or also extend only into the lateral end region of a winding core.

In another embodiment, a continuous supporting spindle or a supporting spindle which is part of a retaining element or also the part of a retaining element engaging into a winding core can be designed in such a way that it can be braced in the winding core. For example, it can be formed as an adapter or as a clamping chuck or as a clamping adapter for bridging the different diameters of winding core and supporting spindle or of the part of a retaining element engaging in a winding core. This secures a fixed mounting against deflection with maximum support area, even when subject to heavy loads. The glass roll also cannot vibrate or lift on the holder, for example a supporting spindle, which enables secure transport to the maximum extent.

In a further embodiment according to the invention, a damping element is connected to at least one retaining element and/or to at least one wall part. Damping elements damp oscillations, vibrations or impacts in all possible spatial directions. They are to reduce or fully absorb the transfer to the glass roll of oscillations and impacts during the handling, storage and transport of the packaging unit from the outside in. The introduction of impacts and oscillation-like stresses onto or into the glass roll is thus effectively reduced to a measure that enables secure transport or storage of a glass roll.

Impacts can be caused in a large number of ways by transport by means of a vehicle or by incorrect handling of the packaging unit or by jolting in any way, and are impulse-like stresses, which must not be transferred from the packaging unit to a glass roll to a degree posing a risk.

Oscillation-like stresses are specified in a frequency-dependent manner. These include periodic stresses, such as a short-frequency oscillation in the range 0.1 Hz to 20 kHz, in particular 50 Hz to 10 kHz, as are transferred during transport, for example by jolting or by the vibration of an engine, to a glass roll to be transported and may lead to damage.

Another load is constituted by centrifugal forces, acceleration forces or breaking forces, as may act on a glass roll during transport.

In accordance with the invention, the packaging unit has one or more damping elements, which damp the impacts or oscillations and reduce a transfer to the glass roll to a degree which enables reliable transport or reliable storage of a glass roll. A damping element is connected to at least one retaining element or to at least one wall part, or to an anchoring associated with a wall part. Any conceivable combination of the individual embodiments is possible and is in each case combined such that optimal protection of the glass roll to be transported is enabled on the whole for all stresses to be expected.

In an embodiment, a damping element which encloses the retaining element in the region of its anchoring in the wall part or which encloses the anchoring itself is arranged in at least one wall part, wherein the anchoring forms part of the head part. Impacts or oscillations which above all act perpendicularly or at an incline to the axis of a retaining element can thus be prevented effectively from being transferred via the retaining element into a glass roll to be transported. Impacts or oscillations which act parallel to the axis of a retaining element can also be damped hereby however.

In a further embodiment according to the invention, one or more damping elements which, during use, connect a winding core in an oscillation-damping and impact-damping manner to the retaining element, can be arranged on the outer face of at least one supporting spindle of a retaining element, which may also be formed as a peg or pin, enclosing said outer face at least in regions and at least in part. For example, these may be one or more distanced resilient damping rings. They may also be one or more axially extending damping elements, however. Impacts or oscillations which act on the packaging element can thus effectively be prevented from being transferred via the retaining element into a glass roll to be transported.

In a further embodiment according to the invention, one or more damping elements may be arranged at least on the outer faces of a supporting spindle passing through the winding core, so as to enclose said outer faces at least in regions and at least in part. The damping elements can be arranged in this case for example only in regions at the lateral ends of a winding core, or may also be distributed over the entire length. For example, these may be one or more resilient damping rings. The entire surface of the supporting spindle may also be coated with or surrounded by an oscillation-damping material. The supporting spindle may also consist on the whole of an oscillation-damping material. During use, the mass of a winding core with glass rolled thereonto is mounted in an oscillation-damping and impact-damping manner on the supporting spindle or the retaining elements. Impacts or oscillations which act on the packaging element can thus effectively be prevented from being transferred via the retaining elements and the supporting spindle to a glass roll to be transported.

In a further embodiment according to the invention, the supporting spindle is mounted resiliently or in an oscillation-damped manner in the retaining element. The damping element in this embodiment forms the mounting of the supporting spindle in the retaining element, wherein the supporting spindle may be a continuous or a non-continuous supporting spindle or can be formed as one or more pegs or pins.

For example, the damping in one embodiment can be designed in such a way that the supporting spindle, peg or pin apart from the actual main bearing is fixed to two springs and is supported by two impact dampers. It can thus oscillate, but is gently braked by the impact dampers in the event of excessively large deflections.

In a further embodiment according to the invention, one or more damping elements may be arranged on the outer face, preferably beneath the base part of the packaging unit. If, for example, a damping element is attached to the outer face of the base part, it forms the bearing face of the packaging unit, for example on a pallet. A number of damping elements distributed in a planar manner or in a dotted manner can be attached to the outer face of the base part, for example as buffer elements or impact dampers in the corner regions or as strips on two mutually opposed lateral regions. The entire base area may also consist of a layer of an oscillation-damping material. Such damping panels can consist of cork, rubber, rubber/metal compounds or the like. Oscillation-damping mats or oscillation damping panels are preferably used for this purpose. Impacts or oscillations which act from beneath on the packaging unit can thus effectively be prevented from being transferred inadmissibly to the packaging unit and via the packaging unit into a glass roll to be transported.

Damping elements against lateral impacts or impacts from above or against a transfer of oscillations when a plurality of packaging units are arranged together can also be arranged at any desired point on the outer face of the packaging unit where expedient. In this case, the damping elements can cover the entire outer face of a wall part or only larger or smaller regions.

Since the packaging units can also be stacked in accordance with the invention or can be arranged together so as to form a larger packaging unit, one or more damping elements can be arranged in accordance with a further embodiment according to the invention on the outer faces at points where the individual packaging units contact, preferably on the supporting face or the supporting faces below or above or on a contact face to the side of the packaging unit.

For example, buffer elements or impact dampers formed from an elastomer, such as rubber, silicone or caoutchouc or foam or also resilient springs, in particular such as rubber springs, are used as damping elements. Damping elements containing a metal mesh for example or gas-damped elements can also be used however. In accordance with the invention, all suitable damping elements known sufficiently to a person skilled in the art can be used. Depending on the specific task of a damping element, the deformation path and the damping can be selected so as to be smaller or larger as a result of suitable shape and/or material selection. When dimensioning and sizing the damping elements, the mass of the glass roll or of the packaging unit to be sprung or damped is taken into consideration. In one embodiment, gas pressure damping elements are used here, which make it possible, via an adjustable gas pressure, to adjust the damping to the mass of the glass roll to be packaged.

In all cases, an oscillation in the natural frequency of the mass to be packaged is also to be counteracted or avoided.

In a further embodiment according to the invention, at least two packaging units arranged one above the other and/or beside one another can be arranged so as to engage in one another in a modular manner for the packaging of a plurality of glass rolls. To this end, cooperating receiving devices for a further packaging unit are arranged at the bottom on the supporting face or the supporting faces and on the upper face of the packaging unit and/or to the side. The receiving devices may cooperate in a form-locked manner in that a corresponding indentation for example is provided on a packaging unit and an elevation of another packaging unit engages in said indentation. The receiving devices may also cooperate in a force-locked manner in that both packaging units can be locked securely to one another by means of a receiving device or can be fixedly interconnected in any suitable manner.

In an embodiment according to the invention, a damping element is arranged on the faces of the receiving device where both packaging units contact one another.

In a further embodiment according to the invention, the packaging unit may be closed in a gas-tight manner and the interior is filled with a clean gas. A dust-free and dirt-free clean space can thus be produced in the interior of the packaging unit, the clean space meeting all conditions imposed by the protection or cleanliness requirements of the glass. Depending on requirements, an overpressure can also be produced and maintained in the interior of the packaging unit in order to rule out an infiltration of ambient air.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the packaging unit can be lined with air cushions. For example, these may be air tires, air bags, air cushions or foamed materials which are filled or inserted in the interior of the packaging crate between one or more wall parts and a glass roll. These can be provided additionally or alternatively to the above-described impact-damping and oscillation-damping measures. It is also possible to insert inflatable air bags into the packaging unit and to only inflate these once the glass roll has been packed in the packaging unit. The pressure on the air bag can be adjustable and controllable, however it must not be so high that the pressure from the variable volume body onto the glass roll causes damage thereto, in particular in the edge region.

In a further embodiment, the glass roll can be enclosed in the packaging unit by a double-walled tube. This can be filled, once the glass roll has been packaged, with a gas, a liquid, or a solid, small-particle, compressible material, for example in the form of flakes, powder or beads. Due to the metering of the quantity of the filled material and the compressibility thereof in the tube, an external adjustable force can be exerted onto the glass roll and the layers thereof and prevents the layers of the glass roll from shifting with respect to one another. On the other hand, the tube acts as a damping element, and the compressibility of the filled material prevents impacts and oscillations, which act on the glass roll, from damaging the glass roll. Such a tube can be provided additionally or alternatively to the above-described impact-damping and oscillation-damping measures.

The invention further comprises the use of a described packaging unit for oscillation-reduced storage and oscillation-reduced transport of glass rolled onto a winding core, in particular thin glass. In this case, the integrated damping elements act as oscillation or vibration or impact dampers in all possible spatial directions. They reduce or absorb the transfer to the glass roll of oscillations and impacts during the handling, storage or transport of the packaging unit from the outside in, wholly or in part, in such a way that the introduction of impacts and oscillation-like stresses onto or into the glass roll is effectively reduced to a level which enables safe transport or safe storage of a glass roll.

The invention further comprises the use of a described packaging unit as a dust-free and dirt-free clean space for the storage and transport of glass rolled onto a winding core, in particular thin glass. The packaging unit is closed in a gas-tight manner for this purpose and is filled with a clean gas. Depending on demand, all inert gases, such as argon, nitrogen or carbon dioxide, are preferred gases. The relative air humidity is preferably set in a range from 5-30%. The packaging unit meets all conditions necessary for protection of the glass. This is significant, in particular in the case of coated thin glass for example, if the coating reacts in a sensitive manner to substances which may have an effect due to environmental influences, or also for glass substrates for displays, such as liquid-crystal displays or organic LED displays, in which case, due to their use, clean glass with no adhesions of dirt and dust is required.

The following figures are intended to explain the invention in greater detail by way of example:

FIGS. 1 to 3 show different forms for packaging units in cross section,

FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section through a packaging unit,

FIG. 5 shows a packaging unit with a damping element on the underside of the base part facing outwardly,

FIG. 6 shows a packaging unit with damping elements which are each arranged in the head-side wall parts and encloses the anchoring of the retaining elements,

FIG. 7 shows a packaging unit with damping elements which enclose the retaining element and are arranged at the ends of the winding core,

FIG. 8 shows a packaging unit with an air cushion around a packaged glass roll in the lower region,

FIG. 9 shows a packaging unit with an air tire around the entire periphery of a packaged glass roll,

FIG. 10 shows a packaging unit as a clean space for a packaged glass roll,

FIG. 11 shows a unit of two packaging units, which have been arranged in a modular manner,

FIG. 12 shows a cross section for a supporting spindle with fitted winding core, and

FIG. 13 shows an alternative cross section for a supporting spindle.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 show a rectangular packaging unit, FIG. 1 in cross section and FIG. 4 in longitudinal section. The glass roll 30 illustrated in FIG. 4 is enclosed by the wall parts of the packaging unit, such as the head parts 121 and 123, the base part 13, the side parts 141 and 142, and the top part 15. Here, all wall parts apart from the head part 123 are fixedly interconnected, whereas the head part 123 is removable in order to load and remove the glass roll. Alternatively, the wall parts may also be fixedly interconnected or removable in another combination, wherein wall parts may also belong separably in part to the removable part of the packaging unit and in part to the fixedly connected part of the packaging unit. To transport or set down the packaging unit, it is connected loosely or fixedly to a transport pallet 28 via the base part 13. For transport by means of a hoisting tool, retaining eyes 16 are provided on the top part 15. To receive a glass roll, a retaining element is connected on the head-side wall part, that is to say the head part 121, to the anchoring 122. The retaining element in this embodiment is a continuous supporting spindle 181. The anchoring is designed in such a way that the supporting spindle 181 can receive the glass roll 30, when loaded horizontally, over its entire length and can support the glass roll in a manner mounted on one side. The anchoring 122 is connected in a force-locked manner, for example via screwed connections, to the head part 121 and optionally also to the top part 15, the side parts 141, 142 and the base part 13, or is also installed in the packaging unit in a form-locked manner. To fix the glass roll 30 on the supporting spindle 181, fixing rings 171, 172 are provided adjacently to the anchorings 122, 124. The fixing rings are made of a stable material, such as wood, plastic or metal, and hold the winding core, where applicable with the glass rolled on, securely against axial shifting during transport. The fixing rings may also consist of a compressible material, which is suitable for fixing the winding core between the two fixing rings.

To close the packaging unit, the removable wall part or alternatively the removable wall parts is/are connected to the other wall parts. This can be implemented by all known measures, for example screwing, anchoring, bracing, hooking or locking. The removable head-side wall part consists of the head part 123 with the anchoring 124 for the retaining element 182. The retaining element 182 in this embodiment is a peg, which engages in a matching recess at the end of the supporting spindle 181 and supports the supporting spindle 181 on this side, with the result that the supporting spindle is mounted from two sides in the closed packaging unit. Furthermore, a fixing ring 172 for fixing the winding core 191 is fastened to the anchoring 124. Alternatively, the fixing ring may also be slid over the periphery of the peg.

For loading, the glass roll 30 with the winding core 191 can also be introduced vertically into the packaging unit. In this case, the packaging unit is set down on the head part 121, with the glass roll loaded, with the head part 123 closed, with the result that the winding core 191 is trapped between the retaining elements. The packaging unit is then rotated by 90° and supported on the base part 13. It is advantageous here that the anchoring 122 only has to be designed to be stable enough to carry and support the glass roll as part of a two-sided mounting. The packaging unit can thus be designed so as to be smaller and lighter.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show alternatively the cross section of two cylindrical packaging units, wherein the side parts 143, 144 are cylindrical and the head parts in each case are round. To support the packaging units, support elements 293 and 294, 295, 296 respectively are provided on the outer face. The packaging units rest on a base plate 291, 292, in a manner secured by the support elements.

FIG. 5 shows a packaging unit corresponding to FIG. 4 with a damping element 20 on the underside of the base part facing outwardly. In this case, the damping element is an oscillation damping plate lying beneath the base part over the entire surface. Alternatively, two strips are also provided beneath the side parts 141, 142. The oscillation damping plate is designed in a manner corresponding to a safety mat made of rubber granulate. It is thus possible to effectively prevent impacts or oscillations, which act from beneath on the packaging unit, from being transferred inadmissibly to the packaging unit and from being transferred via said packaging unit into a glass roll to be transported.

FIG. 6 shows a packaging unit corresponding to FIG. 4 with damping elements which are each arranged in the head-side wall parts and enclose the anchoring of the retaining elements. The damping elements are rectangular in the shape of the interior of the anchoring. The anchoring 125 is formed without transverse struts and contains damping elements 201, 202, which enclose the extension of the supporting spindle 181. In addition, oscillation damping plates may also be provided between the anchoring 125 and one or more wall parts 13, 15, 121, 141, 142.

An annular damping element is arranged in the anchoring plate 125 on the removable head side of the wall and encloses the retaining element 182, here in the form of a peg. The damping element may also be rectangular in this case. The damping element consists of a rubber/metal compound or alternatively also of a pure rubber compound. An oscillation decoupling of the retaining element and a glass roll can thus be implemented wholly or at least in part, and impacts or oscillations acting primarily perpendicularly or at an incline, or also impacts or oscillations acting parallel to the axis of a retaining element on the packaging unit, are effectively prevented from being transferred via the retaining element into a glass roll to be transported.

FIG. 7 shows a packaging unit corresponding to FIG. 4 with damping elements which each enclose the retaining elements or the retaining element. The retaining element in the illustrated embodiment is a continuous supporting spindle 183. During loading, this is mounted on one side in the anchoring 122. In the closed packaging unit, the supporting spindle 183 by contrast is mounted on both sides and is additionally held and supported by the retaining element 184, that is to say a peg which engages in the end of the supporting spindle 183. The retaining element 184 is held in the anchoring 126, which, together with the head part 123, is part of the head-side wall element. In particular at the points where each of the ends of a winding core are mounted, the supporting spindle 183 is enclosed in each case by a damping element, such as the damping rings 204, 205, which then act as impact dampers and/or oscillation dampers between the supporting spindle and winding core. Further segments of the supporting spindle however may also be enclosed by damping elements, or the entire supporting spindle may also be enclosed by a damping material. The damping material is a rubber/metal compound or alternatively a pure rubber compound. Impacts or oscillations can thus effectively be prevented from being transferred via the retaining element into a glass roll to be transported.

Alternatively, a peg-shaped supporting spindle which engages in the cavity of the winding core and supports the winding core may also be arranged on each head side of the packaging unit as a retaining element. The supporting spindles are then accordingly enclosed wholly or partially by a damping ring.

FIG. 8 show a packaging unit corresponding to FIG. 4 with an air cushion 21 around a packaged glass roll 30 in the lower region, and FIG. 9 shows a packaging unit corresponding to FIG. 4 with an air cushion 22 as an air tire around the entire periphery of a packaged glass roll 30. The air cushions can each be inflated individually from the outside via a valve (not illustrated). For transport, the air cushions are filled with air and a defined pressure is set, which can be controlled where necessary and is monitored. By adjusting and selecting the pressure inside the air cushions 21, 22 and the resultant compressibility of the cushions, an adjustable force can act on the glass roll and the layers thereof and prevents displacement of the layers of the glass roll with respect to one another. On the other hand, the air cushion acts as a damping element, and the compressibility prevents impacts and oscillations, which act on the glass roll, from damaging the glass roll. To unload the packaging unit, the air is let out or sucked out via the valve.

FIG. 10 shows a packaging unit corresponding to FIG. 5 as a clean space for a packaged glass roll. The packaging unit in this embodiment is designed and closed in a gas-tight manner. Once the packaging unit has been loaded and closed, a negative pressure or a vacuum is drawn in the interior via a valve (not illustrated), and the space is then filled with a clean gas, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, thus producing a clean space 23. The relative air humidity is set in a range from 5-15%. The pressure in the interior of the packaging unit can be controlled and is set such that it is slightly above ambient pressure. An infiltration in particular of contaminated or moist ambient air is thus prevented, as is necessary primarily with problematic transport or storage conditions or corresponding risks or with sensitive, usually coated, glass. Alternatively, drying means are provided in the packaging unit.

FIG. 11 shows a unit of two packaging units, which have been arranged in a modular manner. For this purpose, a base plate 24 is arranged beneath the packaging unit, corner supports 25 being attached at each of the corners of said base plate and being able to engage in centering elements on the upper face of the packaging unit when the packaging units are stacked. The corner supports and centering elements are each advantageously formed so as to engage conically in one another for this purpose. In order to prevent oscillation or vibration of the packaging units caused by deflection, a plurality of middle supports 26 are arranged on the base plate 24 depending on requirements and are supported on the base or on the top part of the packaging unit. All other possibilities known to a person skilled in the art for stacking in a manner secured against shifting are also conceivable, however.

Devices (not illustrated) which also make it possible to interconnect the packaging units standing side by side may also be provided laterally on the packaging units. Here, all possibilities known to a person skilled in the art for locking, plugging, hooking, and the like, can be used. On the whole, a fixed interconnection of packaging units is to be created, which avoids a collision or knocking of the packaging units against one another during a common transport process. In particular, damping elements made of a rubber compound or cork are arranged on the contact or supporting faces of the packaging units, or the supports themselves are formed as buffer elements made of a rubber/metal compound.

FIG. 12 shows the cross section of a supporting spindle 185 with fitted winding core. At its upper periphery, the supporting spindle has a recess adjoined by two contact faces 311, 312 for the winding core, of which the diameter is adapted such that maximum support of the winding core is enabled.

Alternatively, a supporting spindle corresponding to FIG. 13 may also be used, in which the bearing faces 313, 314 are adapted to the radius of the winding core. In order to be able to load and unload the winding core with the rolled-up glass easily in the packaging unit, the cross section of the retaining element 186, here a supporting spindle, is kept small. The bearing faces 313, 314 are formed by damping elements 206, 207, which extend axially along the receiving faces 321, 322 of the supporting spindle 186 for the winding core 193. It is advantageous in this embodiment that a greater support surface can be provided for the winding core and that the compressive or bending stress in the glass roll is reduced. Due to the damping elements, a transfer of impacts and oscillations can be reduced or decoupled.

Alternatively, all conceivable shapes for the cross section of a retaining element are possible.

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to a combination of features described above, but that a person skilled in the art can combine all features of the invention arbitrarily, in so far as this is expedient.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(1A, 1B) rectangular packaging unit (2) round packaging unit with supports (3) round packaging unit with retaining frame (4) packaging unit with damping element beneath the base part (5) packaging unit with damping elements enclosing the retaining element anchorings (6) packaging unit with damping elements enclosing the supporting spindle (7A, 7B) packaging unit with an air cushion in the lower region (8A, 8B) packaging unit with an air tire enclosing the glass roll (9) packaging unit as a clean space (10) module formed from a plurality of packaging units (121, 123) wall part, head part (122, 124, 125, 126) wall part, retaining element anchorings in the head part (13) wall part, base part (141, 142) wall part, rectangular side part (143, 144) wall part, cylindrical side part (15) wall part, top part (16) retaining eyes (171, 172) fixing ring (181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186) retaining element (191, 192, 193) winding core (20, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, damping element 206, 207) (21) air cushion (22) air tire (23) clean space (24) base plate (25) corner support (26) middle support (27) centering element (28) transport pallet (291, 292) base plate (293, 294, 295, 296) support element (30) glass roll (311, 312, 313, 314) bearing faces (321, 322) receiving faces 

1-13. (canceled)
 14. A packaging unit for receiving glass rolled onto a winding core, comprising: at least two wall parts that can be separated from one another, wherein the at least two wall parts together form a closed unit, the closed unit having a first retaining element connected to a first wall part, a second retaining element connected to a second wall part arranged opposite the first wall part, and a damping element connected to at least one of the first retaining element, the second retaining element, and one wall part, and wherein, when loading or unloading the packaging unit, the first retaining element receives the winding core and supports the winding core on one side.
 15. The packaging unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of the first and second retaining elements is engagable with a connection device of the winding core.
 16. The packaging unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of the first and second retaining elements forms a locked connection with the winding core.
 17. The packaging unit as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least one of the first and second retaining elements comprises an adapter or clamping chuck or clamping adapter.
 18. The packaging unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the damping element is arranged in at least one wall part and encloses the first or second retaining element.
 19. The packaging unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of the first and second retaining elements comprises a supporting spindle, the supporting spindle being suitable for supporting the winding core along an indentation or a cavity running in the interior thereof.
 20. The packaging unit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the supporting spindle is mounted in a sprung manner or in an oscillation-damped manner in at least one of the first and second retaining elements.
 21. The packaging unit as claimed in claim 19, wherein one or more damping elements are arranged on an outer face of the supporting spindle, enclosing at least a portion of the outer face.
 22. The packaging unit as claimed in claim 21, wherein the supporting spindle is mounted in a sprung manner or in an oscillation-damped manner in at least one of the first and second retaining elements.
 23. The packaging unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein one or more damping elements is/are arranged on an outer side of the packaging unit.
 24. The packaging unit as claimed in claim 23, wherein the one or more damping elements are on a supporting face or on a contact face of the packaging unit.
 25. The packaging unit as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a cooperating receiving device arranged on a side of the packaging unit, the cooperating receiving device being configured to receive a further packaging unit in such a way that at least two packaging units can be arranged above or beside one another so as to engage in one another in a modular manner.
 26. The packaging unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the closed unit is a gas-tight unit having a clean glass filling an interior thereof.
 27. The use of a packaging unit as claimed in claim 14 for the oscillation-reduced storage and oscillation-reduced transport of glass rolled onto the winding core.
 28. The use of a packaging unit as claimed in claim 14 as a clean space for the storage and transport of glass rolled onto the winding core. 